32 STATE OF THE SETTLEMENT. 



party ; but as the loss was trifling, the fact was 

 casually mentioned to one of the chiefs and we 

 thought no more about it. On the following 

 morning, however, one of the native judges 

 came off to the ship in his canoe, bringing with 

 him the stolen knife and a hog. He informed us, 

 that the thief had been detected in one of the 

 pilot's crew, as had been suspected, and that 

 having been tried by the judges and convicted, 

 he had been sentenced to restore the knife and 

 give a large hog as an atonement for his of- 

 fence. 



The local defects in the settlement remained 

 unremedied swamps were as numerous, and 

 bridges and clear runs of water as scarce as 

 heretofore. Disease also, (and perhaps as a 

 consequence,) had in no degree diminished, 

 and the number and distressing character of 

 the maladies of the people, unpitied and un- 

 aided, were truly appalling to humanity. 



On the 15th of March we made sail for the 

 windward, or Georgian Islands. The winds 

 were at first favourable to our progress, but 

 ultimately returned to the trade quarter and 

 compelled us to beat the greater part of the 

 passage. 



At noon on the 17th we were detained by 

 a calm, about eight miles due east of Sir Charles 



